Dissertation Research: Ontogeny Function and Evolution of Sturgeons (Chondrostei: Acipenseridae)

在这份博士论文研究基金中，Eric Findeis在马萨诸塞大学William Bemis的指导下，提出了一项对原始鱼类——鲟鱼的解剖、发育和头盖骨功能形态学的综合研究。来自所有研究的数据将用于重建鲟鱼的系统发育历史，并用于分析该群体的进化趋势。鲟鱼科（中华鲟）有24种，分为两个亚科4属。鲟科，反过来，是一个更高的鳍状鱼类分类组的一部分，被称为软骨鱼，包括鲟科的姐妹组，白鲟（多齿鱼科），鱼和弓鳍。芬迪斯将把白鲟作为“外群体”来确定哪些特征是原始的，哪些是进化上先进的。对鲟鱼等原始脊椎动物的研究对于理解现代脊椎动物的进化史是很重要的。

In this Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant, Eric Findeis, working under the direction of William Bemis at the University of Massachusetts, proposes an integrated study of the anatomy, development and functional morphology of the cranium in a primitive group of fishes, the sturgeons. Data from all of the studies will be used to reconstruct the phylogenetic history of the sturgeons and in analyses of evolutionary trends in the group. The family Acipenseridae (sturgeons) comprises 24 living species divided into four genera in two subfamilies. The Acipenseridae, in turn, are part of a higher taxonomic grouping of fin-rayed fishes termed the Chondrostei which includes the apparent sister group of the Acipenseridae, the paddlefishes (Polyodontidae), gars and the bowfin. Findeis will use the paddlefishes as the "outgroup" for determining which traits are primitive and which are evolutionarily advanced. The study of primitive vertebrates such as the sturgeons is important in gaining an understanding of the evolutionary history of the modern vertebrates.